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In excess of 36,000 civilians have evacuated from Sudan's Kordofan area east of Darfur starting Saturday, according to the UN's migration agency.

The key central region between the country's Darfur regions and the Khartoum-Riverine area has in recent weeks become the latest battleground in the 24-month civil conflict between the Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary forces.

Massive Evacuation Numbers

An calculated 36,825 people fled five localities in North Kordofan state between 26 October and 31 October, as reported by the International Organization for Migration.

The civilians, most on foot, traveled to Tawila, a town to the west of El Fasher that is currently accommodating in excess of 652,000 refugees.

Heightened Military Presence

Citizens of North Kordofan on Monday noted a heavy surge in both RSF and army deployment across urban and rural areas throughout the state.

Both armed factions are vying for control of El Obeid, the North Kordofan regional capital and a important strategic and command hub that links Darfur to Khartoum.

"Today, all our forces have assembled at the Bara front here," commented an RSF member in a recently circulated video statement.

Area Residents Describe Protection Issues

A area citizen of Um Smeima, located west of El Obeid, described that the number of RSF vehicles had grown significantly since the group's seizure of El Fasher.

"We stopped going to our farms, fearing fighting," the individual commented.

Another civilian, who sought confidentiality for security reasons, also reported that "there has been a significant rise in army vehicles and weapons west and south of El Obeid" over the last fourteen days.

World Warnings and Requests

A senior UN official sounded warnings last week about "widespread abuses" and "race-driven revenge attacks" by RSF in Bara.

The representative warned of patterns similar to those in Darfur, where RSF combatants have been accused of mass killings, sexual violence and abductions against non-Arab ethnic groups.

The spiritual head on Sunday called for an quick cessation of hostilities and the creation of aid passageways in Sudan, saying that attacks on civilians and impediments to humanitarian aid "are creating unacceptable suffering."

Sudan's official envoy to Egypt on Sunday alleged RSF of carrying out war crimes in El Fasher and declared that the Sudanese government would not discuss with the paramilitary group.

The diplomat further encouraged the international community to categorize the group as a terrorist group.